When dealing with certain products, particularly in the medical industry, it is important to keep track of temperature. For example, it can be important to monitor products for cumulative heat exposure and threshold heat events. Cumulative heat exposure can cause many medical products to lose potency, and exposure to temperatures above certain threshold limits can also be damaging. In addition to medical products, other materials, such as perishable foods, must be stored at certain temperatures and can spoil if subjected to certain temperatures, or to a certain amount of cumulative heat exposure.
To combat these problems, temperature indicators can be attached to the containers of such products and can be used to determine whether the products have reached a particularly damaging temperature. Temperature indicators are often affixed by manufacturers to primary and/or secondary packaging and boxes of drugs, vaccines, biologics, and other temperature-sensitive medical and other products to determine whether the products have reached an unsafe temperature. Temperature control is necessary during manufacturing, delivery and storage, as well as to continuously monitor products during use.
Presently used temperature indicators, however, are often bulky and/or difficult to activate. Additionally, such temperature indicators require activation by a person in a manner that may cause the indicators to malfunction due to the incorrect placement of the person's fingers during activation and/or use.
There is accordingly a need in the art for a compact, reliable temperature indicator that can be activated by a person with ease, without requiring the person to place their fingers in a manner that can cause the temperature indicator to malfunction or lose its reliability.